World Vision Classic
Where: Smith Spectrum , Logan, Utah
SIU?s men?s basketball team opens a three-day stretch at the World Vision Classic tonight against UC Davis and former Bradley leader Jim Les.
Les, in his second season rebuilding the Aggies? program, led UC Davis to its second win of the season earlier this week. The Aggies return three starters off last season?s 5-26 squad and have nine new players.
?Now I look at our team, we brought in a total of nine players this past year, when you count Ryan Sypkens was out last year, (Corey) Hawkins was out last year, we have two transfers sitting out this year, and we brought in five new players, so we?ve got a revamped roster,? Les said. ?And that was by necessity. We brought in more skill, more athleticism, more length, and now it?s about us bonding togheter and getting the style.
?This group is playing more toward what we want to do.?
UC Davis (2-6) beat Eastern Washington, 87-65, in Davis, Calif., and won at Sacramento State on Nov. 20.
The Salukis (6-2) come off a 74-61 win at home and will play four games this week.
Coach Barry Hinson compared it to a pre-test of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament, which will take place in St. Louis in March. SIU takes on UC Davis tonight, Nicholls State (1-5) on Friday and host Utah State (6-1) on Saturday.
?What it does, is this is a pre-test of the Valley tournament. You gotta play three games in three days, and that?s what I?m thinking, just FYI,? Hinson said. ?That?s kind of my thought process, when you get to the Valley tournament, I think you gotta play three games. I didn?t say four.?
SIU has fallen into the ?play-in games,? the opening two games of the tournament that match up the four lowest-seeded teams, the last three years.
If the Saluis continue their hot start away from SIU Arena, they may be able to stay out of that day?s games despite getting picked to finish ninth in the MVC preseason poll. SIU is 3-2 away from home and on its second winning streak of the season.
Freshman guard Jalen Pendleton, who stepped in for sick point guard Kendal Brown-Surles on Monday night against New Orleans, hopes to turn this week into a jumping off point for the Valley season. Pendleton scored a career-high 14 points against New Orleans.
The Salukis open the conference season at Missouri State on Dec. 30.
?This is a very important win for us, but we can?t be satisfied,? Pendleton said after Monday?s victory over New Orleans. ?We just gotta make sure that we stay focused.?
Brown-Surles made the trip to Utah and was expected to compete tonight after sitting out Monday?s game. Brown-Surles leads SIU in minutes per game (32.6).
Hawkins, a 6-foot-3 sophomore, leads the Aggies in scoring at 17.8 points per game. Guard Ryan Sypkens, a 53.1 percent 3-point shooter, averages 15.4 points per game. Forward J.T. Adenrele, a 6-7, 225-pound sophomore, averages 12 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.
SIU leads the series against UC Davis 2-0. The Salukis are a combined 4-0 against the four-team field at the World Vision Classic, as they are 2-0 against Utah State. They have never played Nicholls State.
Where: Smith Spectrum , Logan, Utah
SIU?s men?s basketball team opens a three-day stretch at the World Vision Classic tonight against UC Davis and former Bradley leader Jim Les.
Les, in his second season rebuilding the Aggies? program, led UC Davis to its second win of the season earlier this week. The Aggies return three starters off last season?s 5-26 squad and have nine new players.
?Now I look at our team, we brought in a total of nine players this past year, when you count Ryan Sypkens was out last year, (Corey) Hawkins was out last year, we have two transfers sitting out this year, and we brought in five new players, so we?ve got a revamped roster,? Les said. ?And that was by necessity. We brought in more skill, more athleticism, more length, and now it?s about us bonding togheter and getting the style.
?This group is playing more toward what we want to do.?
UC Davis (2-6) beat Eastern Washington, 87-65, in Davis, Calif., and won at Sacramento State on Nov. 20.
The Salukis (6-2) come off a 74-61 win at home and will play four games this week.
Coach Barry Hinson compared it to a pre-test of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament, which will take place in St. Louis in March. SIU takes on UC Davis tonight, Nicholls State (1-5) on Friday and host Utah State (6-1) on Saturday.
?What it does, is this is a pre-test of the Valley tournament. You gotta play three games in three days, and that?s what I?m thinking, just FYI,? Hinson said. ?That?s kind of my thought process, when you get to the Valley tournament, I think you gotta play three games. I didn?t say four.?
SIU has fallen into the ?play-in games,? the opening two games of the tournament that match up the four lowest-seeded teams, the last three years.
If the Saluis continue their hot start away from SIU Arena, they may be able to stay out of that day?s games despite getting picked to finish ninth in the MVC preseason poll. SIU is 3-2 away from home and on its second winning streak of the season.
Freshman guard Jalen Pendleton, who stepped in for sick point guard Kendal Brown-Surles on Monday night against New Orleans, hopes to turn this week into a jumping off point for the Valley season. Pendleton scored a career-high 14 points against New Orleans.
The Salukis open the conference season at Missouri State on Dec. 30.
?This is a very important win for us, but we can?t be satisfied,? Pendleton said after Monday?s victory over New Orleans. ?We just gotta make sure that we stay focused.?
Brown-Surles made the trip to Utah and was expected to compete tonight after sitting out Monday?s game. Brown-Surles leads SIU in minutes per game (32.6).
Hawkins, a 6-foot-3 sophomore, leads the Aggies in scoring at 17.8 points per game. Guard Ryan Sypkens, a 53.1 percent 3-point shooter, averages 15.4 points per game. Forward J.T. Adenrele, a 6-7, 225-pound sophomore, averages 12 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.
SIU leads the series against UC Davis 2-0. The Salukis are a combined 4-0 against the four-team field at the World Vision Classic, as they are 2-0 against Utah State. They have never played Nicholls State.
